1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication system; and, more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for authoring metadata regarding contents so that, in conformity with user demands for contents, users are provided with various types of user-friendly contents in a digital broadcasting system.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been performed a wide range of research to provide users with services of various levels of QoS (Quality of Service) having a high transmission rate in the current communication systems. A number of approaches have been proposed to transmit various types of contents rapidly through limited resources in a digital broadcasting system, which is an example of such communication systems.
Current digital broadcasting systems require methods for providing users with more diversified digital broadcasting contents, specifically user-friendly broadcasting contents that conform to user demands for services. In the case of DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting), which is a type of digital broadcasting system, when users are provided with a DMB service, they are also provided with information regarding DMB contents, i.e. DMB EPG (Electronic Program Guide).
Users provided with broadcasting services in such a digital broadcasting system, specifically DMB system, tend to demand more diversified broadcasting services, i.e. contents. However, current digital broadcasting systems have limitations in providing information regarding contents, which is needed to provide contents. In other words, the above-mentioned DMB EPG, which is necessarily provided when DMB contents are provided by the DMB system, cannot properly provide every piece of information regarding various contents in conformity with user demands for various types of contents. Specifically, the DMB EPG cannot guarantee efficient access, consumption, and storage of contents requested by users.
Consequently, there is a need for a method for authoring data regarding contents, i.e. metadata, so that as users demand various types of contents in a communication system, e.g. digital broadcasting system, the users are enabled to access, consume, and store the desired contents efficiently, i.e. the users are provided with various types of user-friendly contents.